Chain Link Fences
by Daze G
Summary: Danny boards the subway to nowhere and meets a very friendly companion. AU, slash.
1. Time

_SHWOOM_

He simultaneously grunted and sighed. His mid-calf trench coat rippled softly with the mechanical wind. He tipped his hat forward with his rose-colored pinky. He tried to blend into the palette of steels and blurs of grays while wearing his father's oversized clothes. The coat and matching hat weren't made to fit him, he was drowning in them.

There were people everywhere, pushing past him, through him. He drifted back farther, hoping to reach the wall before having to go through it. The subway stopped but he waited for the next one. One less crowded.

The lights flickered and he stared at them.

* * *

A new train, a later hour, less people. He didn't even bother with the clock, he went by instinct. His eyes were telling him that it was time to get on the train to freedom. 

The doors slid shut swiftly. His eyes twitched around the confined metal box. He chose a corner seat, away from the two other passengers. He ignored them and hoped they don't notice his presence as he glided to his seat. The seat was old; warn in to fit larger bodies. He shifted, leaning forward slightly to pull his coat around his ribs. The car moved forward as another passenger stood up.

He saw half of the stranger under the rim of his hat. The stranger was tall and his ankles were dressed in polished black loafers and matching black trousers.

_CLICK click CLICK click_

The stranger sat down next to him and cleared his throat.

"Do you have the time?"

The stranger's voice was strong, deep and rich. It was _Full of Money_.

"No."

Danny spoke for the first time, almost sarcastically. His face remained shielded by his oversized hat.

The stranger sighed in disappointment, like he depended upon knowing the time to keep him going. Like he had to have everything his way in order to succeed. Danny ignored him and hoped he'd leave Danny's vicinity.

"That's too bad then. Here," he said, slipping his hand inside of his coat pocket.

Danny watched with fascination and paranoia. The stranger pulled out a silver pocket watch, polished to match his clean shoes.  
"My, so that is the time," he shook his head and held the watch under Danny's hat.

The numbers were represented by golden Roman Numerals and the hands ticked very slowly. Danny leaned forward, charmed by the small mechanical device. His nose twitched at the peculiar smell. The stranger shut the watch and Danny leaned back in surprise, never actually noting the time.

The stranger returned the watch to its home and held a clean white hand under the hat.

"Vlad Masters."

Danny looked up, his interests sparked, pushing the hat back with his pinky. The stranger was older, in his forties. He had thick white hair and a matching beard to contrast his all black clothes. His chin and nose were sharp. His eyes were bright blue, the only aspects of the stranger that wasn't clear cut monotone. There was a faint smile on his face, making him appear friendlier than his voice did.

"Ohh. The millionaire?" Danny asked, seeming to recall the name. He stared out the window at the blur.

Vlad's smile grew, stretching his lips thinner and revealing his perfect teeth.

"Well, I'm not one to brag, but, yes... How did you know? Is it the clothes?" He examined himself, dusting off his thin knee gracefully.

"Uhr, my daaad," Danny whined, taking off his hat and staring into it. His hair was still a mess, despite being suffocated under a hat for several hours.

"I- I mean, my dad," he corrected himself, unemotionally.

"Your dad?" Vlad asked. "Is he a Packers fan?"

"A PACKERS fan?" Danny blurted out, laughing for the first time. His laugh was loud and joyful, unlike his emotionally dramatic speaking voice. He imagined his large father wearing a large cheese on his flat head.

"Don't tell me YOU are!" He looked up at the stranger's face, wondering what his reaction would be.

"Yes, I am." Vlad chuckled too, amused by the boy's thoughts and happiness. "Is that a bad thing?"

"No, it's just really lame," Danny snorted, humoring himself, and crossing his arms under the jacket.

"I suppose it is rather 'lame'," the older man continued to smile. "What is your father's name, if you don't mind?"

Danny scooted away from Vlad. He wasn't quite sure of the man's intentions. He'd already said too much. If he'd learned _anything_ from his family, it was to Never. Trust. Strangers.

"Dad." He put his hat back on his head.

"Ahh, I see. Very clever, young man. Then answer me this; how does your father know me?"

The old man was treating him like a riddle. One which he had to solve. Danny played along, hoping to run him in circles, guessing, to pass the time. He didn't quite care to discuss his father, especially with this stranger.

"You're old friends. _Very old_."

Vlad Masters licked his teeth, which felt smooth and wet.

"I've known a lot of men in my day." He smirked at his double entendre, wondering if the young boy would understand his carefully chosen words.

"Ohh… kay…" Danny mouthed to himself, moving further away from the stranger.

He leaned his neck against the metal railing, watching and waiting. Vlad was silent, his hands folded together on his lap. His head was tilted up, as in prayer, and there was an eerie look on his face. The teenager shut one eye and then the other.

* * *

Haha, yesssss. Author's note is at the end now. So… I started this story a while ago, but I just now finished the first chapter. My style has changed between now and then... Yes, this is slash and AU. This pairing is love and thus needs more love in the Pit! I will try to update soon, but don't count on it. Anyway, thank you for reading! This chapter is not my best work; I hope it will get better and that they do not seem too OOC.  
Danny Phantom and all characters there in belong to Butch Hartman. 


	2. Waking Up

When Danny woke up, he had no idea where he was or even who he was. But feeling the inside of his father's jacket, and noticing the near-empty subway car, he remembered.

"I feel like I've been asleep for two years," he mumbled to himself.

"Only two hours," a voice echoed.

Danny wasn't surprised to notice Vlad Masters, sitting perfectly still. As if he was a statue and hadn't moved or couldn't move.

Vlad looked at him and smiled.

"You must have been very tired."

His voice was still as smooth as before and his eyes were just as bright. It was unnerving to Danny. Yet, the man seemed so eager to please that the young teenager tried to be polite.

"I guess so," he said, taking off his hat and scratching his head.

At the same time, the older man pulled out his gleaming pocket watch and appeared surprised. He was a very good actor.

"Traveling far?"

Danny thought about the question and nodded. He hadn't decided where he was going yet. But, far sounded good. It sounded distant and exotic and exciting.

Vlad stood up, re-adjusting his jacket before sitting back down again, this time across the car from Danny. And as he stood up, Danny could smell his old-fashioned cologne.

"Is school out already?" He leaned back, crossing his legs.

It was the middle of March. To Danny, March was a very bleak time with no end in sight. It was a time that nobody wanted. It was dark and always far too wet.

"No," he cleared his throat, unbuttoning and re-buttoning his jacket.

He thought about it. He thought about why anyone should care so much. Adults were always poking their noses into other people's business. Adults always treated teenagers like they were idiots, like they had no idea what was really going on. At least, they had always treated Danny that way. And that was one of the reasons he was on this subway car to begin with.

But even now there was a meddling adult. One that actually knew his father; or, at least, had known him at one time.

It's not that Danny hated the man. Vlad was only vaguely familiar to him because of all the stories his father had told Danny of college. He couldn't hate him. (At least, not yet.) He'd just met Vlad Masters two hours ago. Instead, Danny was more worried about being found out. About Vlad discovering the truth and calling his dad and then it would all be over.

"It's spring break," he said.

Vlad nodding, knowingly. He smiled and tapped his skeletal fingers on his bony knee.

"You're not going to _Cancun_?"

Danny laughed, clutching the neck of his jacket.

"Uhh, no."

Vlad looked puzzled. "But isn't that where all teenagers go?"

Danny blew the hair out of his eyes. "Yeah, the drunk ones."

Both laughed. But their small moment of enjoyment was interrupted by the train announcing the next stop. The last stop.

_The last stop_. Danny had never felt as far away from home as he did then. The slowing down of the train made his stomach churn. This wasn't exciting or exotic. It just was.

"Here we are," Vlad told him, gracefully standing up. His shoes made a pleasant sound on the floor as he walked towards the doorway.

Danny couldn't turn back now.

He told himself this, yet he was still anxious to take the first step. Vlad waving at him to come stand by the doorway, however, eased his nerves a bit.

The subway car stopped immediately and the older man stepped through the doorway so fast that he appeared to be walking through the door itself. Danny followed, unsure of where to go to next.

Before he could make a decision, Vlad held out his hand. Danny looked back and forth from Vlad's outstretched hand to his carefully groomed face.

"You know how to shake hands, don't you?"

Danny half-smiled, nodding. He held his hand out and Vlad took it. His grip was strong for such a thin man.

"Vlad Masters."

"Danny. Manson," Danny spat out quickly. Vlad's hand was unbearably cold and Danny could see his reflection in the older man's eyes.

"You have the same eyes as me. Maybe we'll meet again," Vlad told him, before turning and vanishing quickly.

"Weird," Danny stuffed his hand into his pocket. His dad had been right, about one thing. Vlad was an okay person. But at the same time, Danny was sure he'd be happy if he never met another man like Vlad Masters.

Only, they'd met before. But just one of them remembered this.

* * *

Wow. It's been two years and almost two months since I last updated this. I lost interest not only in this story but in the show as well. To be honest, I haven't even seen the third season. (Though I'd like to.) I was just bored in study hall today and thought it might be nice to get this story moving again. And, hopefully, someday even finish it. I also have no clue where this story is going, but, hopefully, it'll get there intact.  
I like how the wiki article on Vlad says that he "desires Danny the most"... _as a son_. Riiight, a son.  
Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman


	3. Don't cry, it's only a joke!

Once Danny was sure his father's college friend was at least two miles away (_at least_), he left the subway platform himself. Walking up, into an unknown city, it was blindingly bright. Even though it was overcast, Danny swore he could see the sun through some of the clouds, reflecting off of skyscrapers and directly into his eyes.

He squinted and followed the horizon. He felt lost, despite not having moved at all. Despite being surrounded by people on all sides and 360 degrees he was lost and alone and unsure. This was it. This was what he had wanted all along.

But, right now, he wasn't set on it. Now that he was here (if here was a place at all), he didn't know what to do or even which direction to walk in.

He'd never been to this particular city before but they were all the same. Tall buildings, lofts, museums, slums, a coffee place on every corner maybe even a park or two. He shrugged and decided that forward seemed a good place to start. It was like a bad metaphor for what to do in life. So cheesy and lame and force-fed to him that now it was almost ironic.

Or just a really bad joke.

He smiled to himself and knew it wouldn't be so bad. He'd already taken the first step, made it this far, survived a subway car overflowing with creepiness and unwanted thoughts of his family and here he was.

He'd always meant to come to this city, he knew. He decided then and there. He slid his hands into the coat pockets, almost feeling pleased enough to whistle. Humming in his head with great gusto. His stomach feeling light and empty and him feeling a buzz.

He decided that he enjoyed wearing the over-sized coat and the vintage fedora. That somehow, they really were cool and not just a bad set-back in the fashion world. Like he cared about that anyway. Clothes or the way they fit or who enjoyed those things. He just knew that he felt content.

And he could pretend he was a detective in a black and white murder-movie.

He grinned at that. "Detective Danny Fenton" sounded way too good not to be real. It had to exist somewhere, outside of his mind. If only he was old enough. And smart enough. He was certainly desperate enough.

After Danny had walked far enough and his confidence had dwindled, he latched himself onto something that looked and felt familiar.

A dimly lit coffee shop. One with black walls and black ceilings and the word "Artistes" in the name. A place where he fit in. A place where everyone was so different and wrapped up in their own worlds that they paid no attention to the teenager in the musty trench coat.

Danny found the loose change in his pocket and bought a small coffee. Something to keep him warm and awake. It was a bitter taste and even more so when he decided he was too old to put three packets of sugar in his drink. So he settled with two.

When he woke up in a purple armchair an hour later, he was confused and even more exhausted. Apparently even Goth coffee wasn't strong enough to keep him awake.

"Why."

_Why was he so tired? Why did he feel so dead?_

And then he suddenly noticed where he was. How the girl across the way had blue hair and a fur coat. How every other person in there was dressed in all-black and smoking cheap cigarettes. How the guy behind the counter had five facial piercings and was playing with his cell phone.

How much he missed his best friend. How much he missed both of them.

How, after two days, all he could think about was what Tucker and Sam were up to. Going to school, eating at the Nasty Burger, bowling in Sam's basement, being entertained at the expense of Dash Baxter.

_God_, he even missed Dash Baxter.

But it was normal to feel regret and remorse and forlorn. No matter how much he hated goddamn Amity Park. They were still Sam and Tucker, despite what had happened.

He left the coffee shop, no longer able to handle the smoke and déjà vu or inhale. Had everything been a mistake? Had coming here been a mistake? Was he overreacting and alone and insane or was there an explanation for all of it. Well.

Danny shivered, wrapping his coat tighter. Maybe he should go back. Maybe he could understand that running away from home is not a solution. That the subway station was only a few blocks away and he didn't know where else to sleep for the night. Like, somehow, the subway station was the closest thing he had to a home. In this city. He'd known it the longest.

Settling down on a bench, watching a homeless man fall asleep on the other side of the station, he was convinced.

"This isn't so bad," he sighed. Hopeful he could get used to this life. Hopeful a cop wouldn't find him and call his parents.

When he closed his eyes, weary and too exhausted to care what happened to him, he couldn't stay still for long. Not by choice, but because someone was shaking him awake and he didn't care who it was; he was _not_ in the mood.

And, of course, it was that creep Vlad Masters. Every silver hair in place and grinning like a madman. Standing over Danny and staring at him like he might devour the boy in one bite.

"Do you need somewhere to sleep Daniel?" He enunciated.

The blue-eyed boy avoided looking at the older man. Vlad Masters was so close, Danny could smell his breath- it was minty fresh- and could see thin wrinkles on his forehead. Danny didn't dare inhale, somehow convinced that doing so would cause him to taste that minty breath and wrinkled face. Like it would stay with him, always.

Vlad sat by Danny's feet, brushing the dust off of his sneakers. It was almost comforting and far too strange to be anything but.

Vlad checked his watch, trying to will the clock to spin faster. Danny knew he couldn't out-wait Vlad Masters, but he was going to try. He closed his eyes, thinking of anything but the strange man at his feet. Knowing that, if he moved just one inch, they might touch.

He hoped he was asleep, or getting there, but there was no such luck. Sleeping on that train and sleeping in that coffee shop had warn him out. He was too exhausted to sleep, too nervous about what might happen to him knowing how alone he was.

Did he dare? Was Vlad's mansion any safer?

Danny sat up and nodded. He did need somewhere to stay. Somewhere cleaner and drier than a subway station. He knew that. He also knew his Dad had trusted Vlad, with his life, when they were in college together. He could do the same; at least until he had a plan, knew where he was running away to. He had to stop eventually.

Vlad noticed his small gesture and helped him up, offering an impeccably clean hand. Danny took the offer, following the man towards wherever he was going in his polished Italian loafers.

"When did you get here, anyway?" Danny asked. He hadn't even noticed Vlad enter the station, let alone sneak up on him.

"Why my boy, I never left," was the echo, laughing.

Danny shivered, hoping it was a joke. That was why they were both laughing, right? It was all one big fucking joke.

He wished he knew the punch-line.

* * *

Hey, only three months between updates this time!... No? I don't want to make excuses, but, here it is. I'm not that happy with it but I just want to finish this story and be done with it. I already have the next (and last) two chapters planned out. It may take a while, but I know what I'm doing this time around. So, I just want to thank everyone that reads this story. To know that Vlad and Danny won't die; not just yet. That some of us will always ship this awkward and highly-illegal pairings is touching. 3 Hahaha. I love you all.  
Ohh and BTW, if you know where the coffee shop Danny was in came from, I will write you a _**really**_ short oneshot. I swear! It's from a fantasy book. (Is that a good enough hint?!) And there is a cameo by a character from that book in this chapter as well. If you've read the book, you might be able to pick up on it... Otherwise, good luck.  
Danny Phantom (c) Butch Hartman


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